My favorite things about this photo: Rene’s (bottom left) expression and sweater.

Every Christmas Eve, Mamá Toni leads the family in a Rosario. At the end of the Rosario, we do the adoración del Niño Dios. The doll is always dressed nicely in a little outfit made by Mamá Toni.

Two children are chosen to be the padrinos and hold the baby Jesus doll as the rest of the family kisses the doll. Afterward, the doll is placed in his proper space at the center of the Nacimiento.

In the photo above, my cousin Patty holds the Niño Dios while Tony (her brother) gives him a peck and my tía Luisa waits in line. I think I was holding a second doll (we usually have two).

Every Christmas, Grandma would buy the girls in the family new dresses. She bought them at a store called Carousel on Atlantic (in the same shopping center as the IHOP). Mom says the dresses were pricey, maybe $50 each. That was a lot in the 80s. It’s still a lot now, especially if one is buying dresses for four granddaughters.

This Christmas will be the 10th without Grandma. For a long time after her passing in January 2000, I was ambivalent towards Christmas as Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were the last days I saw Grandpa and Grandma, respectively, alive.

I’ve come around on Christmas but still miss Grandma and Grandpa. That feeling doesn’t go away.

One year, my mom’s extended family rented a cabin in Big Bear. We spent Christmas Eve there (complete with a visit from Santa — er, tío Pancho) and opened up all kinds of cool gifts like an Etch-A-Sketch® and Rainbow Brite. The best gifts were waiting for us at home beside the fireplace.

There, we found two bicycles, one black and one pink (with a basket!). I was amazed and convinced that Santa brought the bikes while we were in the mountains.

That night, Danny and I rode our bikes down the block and back to test them out.

My family typically hosts the Nochebuena celebration at our home in Hacienda Heights. We’ve been doing this since at least 1983.

I love the expessions on my Madrina Chilo’s (holding the mug) and tía Eva’s faces. They look beautiful. My Madrina Chilo sort of reminds me of a Mexican actress from la época de oro. Also in the photo: my cousin Patty (holding the toy guitar), an unidentified girl, and Mamá Toni in the middle.